Trackman&#39;s car



Feb. 1'1. 192s. 1,526,5'30

P. CLIFF 0RD TRACKMAN s CAR Filed Dec 10, 1923 Par/'c/ c/mm Cinema Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

PATRICK CLIFFORD, OF WALLULA, WASHINGTON.

TRACKMANS CAR. 7

Application filed December 10, 1923. Serial No. 679,562.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that'I, PATRICK CLIFFORD, acitizenof the United States, residing at VVallula,in Walla Walla County and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trackmens Cars, of which the following is a specification. 3

My present invention relates to improveinents'in a trackmans car, for use on railroads, and is designed particularly for the purpose'of facilitating the removal of such a car from the railway tracks, which is usually accomplished by manual labor. Themodern trackmans car of the automobile type as now used on railways when equipped withthe gasoline motor and accesseries for propulsion of the car, is of such great weight that the labor of several men is necessary for bodily lifting and removing the car from the railway tracks. hen a suflicient number of men are present the car may be lifted and bodilyremo ed from the tracks to avoid an approaching train, or to store the car for future use. When however, as is often the case, and frequently in case of emergency, only two men are present, it is almost impossible to remove one of the cars now in use because of the heavy weight of the car and its equipment.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of mechanical means as a part of the equipment of the car, whereby theload or weight of the car may be balanced to permit easy handling and manipulation of the car for lifting it and turn- 'ing it' at right angles to the railway, by a minlmum number of men for removal of the car from the tracks.

VVith' this ob ect-1n view the invention consists in certain novel combinations and.

arrangements of parts whereby the weight of the c'armay be balanced and the car by manual power may be lifted from the tracks In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my wherein I- have disclosed a combination and arrangement of parts according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the prac tical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a traokmans car equipped with the device of my invention, the parts being shown in normal position for use of the car.

Figure 2 is a view partly in side eleva tion and partly in longitudinal-vertical section of the car and its equipment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the adjustable supporting pedestal.

Figure at is a detail plan view at the under side of the car floor or deck showing the locking means for the pedestal.

Figure 5 is a detail view partly in section showing the adjustable or flexible connection between the pedestal and its base plate or shoe.

In order that the invention and its utility may readily be understood I have shown in Figures 1 and 2 the cross ties 1 and rails 2 of a standard railway. The trackmans car is of the modern gas-propelled type with wheels 3 and longitudinal side beams 4. and intermediate beams 4 forming part of the car frame. The side bolsters or beams 1 have extended ends 5 for use as handles by the men in lifting, turning, and pushing the car from the railway tracks, as usual.

The motor propelling device is enclosed within the hood 6, and suitable control devices are indicated at 7, with brake lever Sand brakes 8 of usual type for the wheels.

At the center of the car or at its center of gravity, is located a vertical pedestal, nor-- mally held elevated, but adaptcd to be lowcred to perform the function of a support for the car in order that the latter may be elevated from its tracks and turned with the pedestal as a center to position at right angles to the tracks. After the car is turned the pedestal, due to its special construction, permits the car to be pushed from its support and free of the tracks.

The pedestal is made up of a Ushaped yo e 9 wh h may be of F wn as i d invention to rest upon a tie or other solid support, and upon the base plate is carried a hemispherical hollow cap 12 forming a socket member for housing the bearing head or ball 10. From this construction itwill be apparent that the base plate or shoe maybe located upon a suitable support to'atfo'rd a bearing for the pedestal-yoke andethat the yoke and post, through the ball 'and socket connection may swing within limits in any horizontal plane with relation"to- V a 34 on the cable 32tl1e'boltmay-bemanipii latedfroni the end of the car in ma'nnei" well} understood, and when it is desired to drop the stationary base 11.

In this manner the'car, attei" it has been elevated as will be described, may beswi'v' eled' or turned aroiind' on theuniversal joint, and the pedestal tilted with relatio'nto the vertical, as the car ispushed' orsta'rted center otgravity' of the car andthe ari'nsof the yoke pass'throu'gh openings 131nthe floor or deck 14" of the car, between the intermediate beams or'bolster's tg At its upper" end the yoke is providedwith asu'sp'ending bail 15 and an elevating cable '16 is attached 7 to the bail. The cable passes over guide" and supporting pulleys as17pivotedat-the center of the car on the frame 18, and'pulley handle 20 on the free end of the cable the latter may be pulled to elevatethepedestal, or when the pedestal is released frei'n its locked elevated position, the cable maybe manipulatedto ease the movementof the"' v r I is pushed over the outside'rail of the track.

pedestal while being lowered to operative position.

The pedestal normal elevated position or in its "lowered operative positioinand for this purpds'ethe yoke is provided with an "upper" pair" of notches 21,}and a lower pair of notches 22, the notchesof the pairsbeingalined transversely movablej slide bolt '25 retained in its keeper's'or s pportin clip's'26 attached to the plate; The bolt 'slide'strans'versely 1 of the" car' and is 'provided with a pa irlof notches"27 complementary to" the spaced arms of the yoke9, and thesenotches may be brought into alineinent with the yoke arms by sliding the bolt to permitinovement of theyoke in a vertical plane. Thus-when the" pedestal is elevated the slide boltengages the lowei'notches 22 oftheyoketo hold the- The pedestal is provided with a base plate or shoe 11 of suitable material and size adapted y e locked in either g pedestal in inoperative position. hen the pedestal is lowered to operative position the slide bolt engages the notches 21 to hold the yoke and its pedestal rigid with the car. By

' sliding the bolt t-h'enotche's of the bolt are moved to position to alinewith the yoke armsand-in this position the pedestal is free to-move- V V For actuating the bolt an angle lever 28 is pivoted at 29 on the lock plate, and at movement. By means of the spring 31 the bolt is held in adjusted positionfand' a cable 32 is attached to "the angle lever 'or bell crank lever, which cable passes jbeneath the deck "of the car to one'end thereof-' -and over the pedestal; a pull on the handlefiile releases the yoke from the slide bolt With one-hand grasping the handle 34 and theother hand' grasping the handle 20*the "two cables 32 and 16 may be manipulated one"man'- to" release the pedestal-and lower'it' to deposit the shoe or base plate llona tie a in-Figure" 5. Two men at one end of the carmay' l'ift that end sufliciently" 'to elevate the car and" bring the'bolt' 25 in position' 'to" engage'the pair of notches2l and thussuspend theearfl bodily, through the bolt on the*ped'e's'tali The inclined 'car isnow leveled andsw ung around on'its universal joint or swivel joint 19 at one end of thecar. By means ofthe" 1012 to position'transversely of theraih base plate remaining stationary." As soo'nas the ca'rhas reachedits'transverse position it and removed from the roadb'e'd. As the car is pushed its'frontor forward "end inclines, downwardly and"tliepe'destal is thus tilted withielati'on to; its base late, as indici'ited in F igure '5, the base plate "remaining in stable 'position'to insure 'a proper support fo'rthe weight or loadof the earl Thecar may thus be removed with facilityanddi'spatch to permit passage'of'a train, or'for storage purposes. 7

From the abovedescription taken in connection with my drawin 'sfit will be appar ent that I have providedan equipment for the car by means ofiwhich the latter may quickly and conveniently 'be"renio'v'e dwith the expenditure of' a minimum "offenerg'yornian power, and while I have shown one enemplifi'cation'of the equipment it h l lll'tjbei understood that changesand alterations may be made: therein within the sco'p'e'of my"ap -f pended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention."

Having thus; fully described myinventiong" What I claim as new and desire to secure by car and to suspend the car on the pedestal, :1 Letters Patent is-- base plate on the pedestal, a socket member The combination with a car of a drop on the base plate, and a spherical head on pedestal in the form of a U-shaped yoke said pedestal having a swiveled connection having spaced notches in one of its arms, of with said member. a slide bolt for selective engagement with In testimony whereof I affix my signature. said notches to suspend the pedestal on the PATRICK CLIFFORD. 

